(19)

(11)

EP 1 404 472 A2

(12)

(88) Date of publication A3: 09.10.2003 (43) Date of publication: 07.04.2004 Bulletin 2004/15 (21) Application number: 02746785.1 (22) Date of filing: 28.06.2002

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: B22D 37/00, F27D 3/14, F27D 3/15, C21C 5/46 (86) International application number: PCT/US2002/020814 (87) International publication number: WO 2003/004198 (16.01.2003 Gazette 2003/03)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR Designated Extension States: AL LT LV MK RO SI (30) Priority: 02.07.2001 US 897208 (71) Applicant: Tetron, Inc. Farmington Hills, MI 48331-2952 (US)	(72) Inventors: KOFFRON, Robert, J. Farmington Hills, MI 48331 (US) JACOBS, Jeffrey Farmington Hills, MI 48331 (US) (74) Representative: Giles, Ashley Simon  Haseltine Lake & Co.,Imperial House,15-19 Kingsway London WC2B 6UD London WC2B 6UD (GB)